Chapter 12 The Hardest Phase

Anika's PoV

After making up my mind just like mom said, I felt a lot better. I called up Nithu and told her about the change of plans. I am still reluctant to let her know what actually happened. But anyways I must tell her on Monday before I tell Arun to wait for me for a year. We got ready and went to the bus stand to go to Tirupur. It is 2hours travel from Coimbatore to Tirupur. Once boarded I found a window seat and sat comfortably there. Advay sat near me leaning on me to sleep.

"Akka, did you tell Arun about your decision?" he asked me.

"Not yet da. I have to tell him on Monday. It is not nice to tell this on the phone. He will come to college on Monday. I will explain to him then." I told him and myself that I can do this.

"You know dad will never approve of LOVE. You should have been more careful, akka. Just like mom says, you must have avoided any situation where you lose control of yourself." he spoke like a big man.

"You will never know what that situation is, Adu. Do you think I wish for all these embarrassments? I never knew all these were going to happen in my life. You sleep." I shut him up to avoid further awkward conversation.

I checked my phone for any message from Arun. But there was nothing from him. It is like I almost disappear in his world on weekends. He never messages me on weekends and of course I never complained about it ever. It helped me spend my time with my family on weekends and that is how mom didn't smell it coming. I opened my mail and to my surprise, the stalker had replied to my mail. I didn't waste a second to open it.

"Hello Beautiful,

I am better. I am sorry to hear that you are not doing well. Trust me, time will heal you of the pain and the embarrassment you are going through now. I tell you this because I have personal experience on this. Do what you think is right and it will definitely turn out good. Concentrate on your studies as you are almost at the end of your degree. I am glad that you consider me as a good friend and I assure you that you can turn up to me at any point in your life for moral support and to share your distress. I will be all ears for you.

Regards!"

A smile crept on my face reading the mail. He is the best. He doesn't know what has actually happened to me but still managed to soothe me with a general talk. It is definitely a convenience to make friends with a stranger whom we don't meet at all. He is a friend with a lot of benefits. I decided to reply to him with a thank you.

"Hello Stalker,

Thank you for the kind words. I am truly grateful for your friendship. Your message has lifted my soul up from the deep hell. I don't know what caused your distress, but I am happy that it passed and you are better. I wish all the happiness in this world to you and you deserve it!

Regards!"

I sent the mail while thinking of everything I have to do to make this situation better. I made up my mind to talk to Arun on Monday about this decision I have taken. Again it sounds so wrong that I took a decision that involves both of us. It is like cornering Arun without any options. But I have no other choice now. After making up my mind to do the right thing just like the stalker said, I felt really light in my heart that I spent the rest of the travel looking outside the window.

My mom's village is a very small one with just 10 streets and everyone here are relatives in one way or another. I am glad that we came here because mom and dad are very happy and it helped me to take their minds off of my problem. We went to my granny's house and the house was very calm and quiet. I saw slippers on the doorstep and I knew we were not the only ones that had come.

"Ammachi!" Advay called out while entering and we saw Sivaprakasam Periyappa and Dhanam Periyamma. Their faces are all gloomy. How else will they be? Their only daughter is lost and it's been 2years and nothing positive has turned up.

"Periyamma, periyappa, How are you?" I asked them while ammachi came in from the kitchen with water for all of us.

"Vaanga vaanga(come come!)" she called us in, excited.

We greeted each other and Advay went out to see his friends here. I went into the room and mom and dad started talking to them. I was bored and decided to listen to what they talk about.

"Sivaprakasam, Did you hear anything from the police?" dad asked him.

"Nope, nothing from them. They have decided to close the case. Maapla(son-in-law) has got his divorce legally stating her absence. Because of his influence, police were looking for her. As he is out of the case now, police have stopped working on this case. There was no lead on where she might be. We lost hope also." he spoke with his voice so heavy that he may break into tears any minute now.

"Don't worry, she will come back to you soon." Dad consoled him.

"If she is still alive." he spoke and Periyamma immediately stopped him from saying that.

"No, no. Don't say that. I know that she is alive and well. She is happy somewhere. Let her live her life happily. Maybe this marriage is not destined for her. She is alive!" She started with a loud voice but retreated at the end. I can understand her feelings. No mother will wish to hear that her daughter is dead. I wish that Periyamma's wish must come true. Anamika must be alive and happy somewhere in this world.

We went to the temple in the evening and slept the night. I felt a little calmness and the temple and the festival really took my mind off of the problem I have. The next day we all went to the temple and had our lunch there. Dad felt a little tired and hot, so we came back home after lunch. Once home, he went to the room to have a nap. Mom and I helped ammachi to clean up the home. Advay didn't come with us to home.

After a little while, we heard a loud thud and a moaning sound from dad's room. We all ran to the room to find dad lying unconscious.

"appa!" I ran and mom ran to the kitchen to bring water. Periyappa rushed in to see what happened.

"OMG, looks like he is paralyzed. Did he take his pressure medicine? Bring that immediately." he shouted and I ran to dad's bag to look for the medicine. Dad has high blood pressure and the doctor has advised dad never to skip medicine. This is the second time this has happened.

"Here, Periyappa!" I gave the tablet to him and mom brought water. By that time, dad's mouth had completely dislocated and his left hand and leg turned in an abnormal way. The very sight scared me to hell.

"Appa, Appa!" I tried to wake him up but all in vain.

"Let me call the driver. He should be hospitalized immediately." Periyappa told mom and called his driver from his phone.

"He is not picking up. He must be in the crowd that he didn't hear the phone. Where is Advay? Ask him to bring the driver home soon." he said.

"I will go bring him." I told him and ran out of the house to bring the driver as Advay had no phone on him.

"OMG, I am so sorry!" I told that tall man on whom I dashed on the way.

"Do you even have eyes? What..." he stopped his curses while helping me up.

"Sorry, sir. I have to go." I turned to run but he stopped me by holding my elbow.

"Why are you crying? Are you alright? Are you hurt?" he asked me, checking me from top to bottom.

"My dad... " I couldn't complete the sentence and started crying aloud.

"Shhh, Relax. What happened to your dad? Where is your house?" he asked me while walking towards our home. I ran ahead of him to show him our home.

"Mama, what happened?" the tall man asked Periyappa.

"Maapla, He is my relative. He must be hospitalized." Periyappa told the tall man.

He didn't waste a second after that. He carried my dad like a baby and ran outside. He went to the next street and opened the car and put dad inside. Mom and I jumped in along with dad and the tall man drove us to the nearby hospital.

I thanked all the Gods I knew to have sent this tall man into our life at the right time!